He's introspective and intelligent. By the time he's done speaking about any given subject, you know exactly how he feels and suspect that you probably should feel the same way.

The latest sermon from the Warriors' backup big man caught his teammates somewhat off guard and seems to have broken them out of their inconsistent plod through the end of January and start of February.

"I let the guys know that I had been going through a mental struggle, not really knowing what the end game would be for my wrist - especially going down the stretch run," the 35-year-old said Tuesday, recalling a team meeting nearly a week ago. "Any time you're out for eight weeks and away from the team, you're there, but you're not really there. I wanted to reiterate to them that I knew I had failed on letting them know where I was mentally. I knew I was a little bit different than I was when I was playing - emotionally and vocally - but I told them whatever I had left, I was going to give it for them."

The Warriors haven't lost since that hour-long, post-All-Star-break meeting - having reeled off a four-game winning streak that marks the best active swing in the Western Conference and has the team three games clear of ninth-place Memphis.

O'Neal is playing as if he were 25 again, and in exchange, his teammates are giving everything they have right back to him. Some of the Warriors wanted to discuss their second-half goals in terms of total wins during the meeting, but O'Neal pleaded with them to simply focus on winning the next game and then the one after that.

"I understand the urgency of where we're at and what the task is, and I think the guys are doing a better job of not only physically preparing, but also mentally and emotionally preparing for each game," said O'Neal, who is playing his 18th season in the NBA - a career that has included six All-Star selections a Most Improved Player award and more than half as many playoff games as the rest of the team combined. "You can see a different focus, and you can see that guys have gotten the message about how important this really is. I have to commend those guys. Since the break, we haven't spoken about any game except the game we're about to play."

That's all O'Neal can do. After he had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right wrist Dec. 13, he woke up to see a full-arm cast where he had expected a small splint. Doctors told him that he would probably miss four months.

Instead, he was back on the court in less than eight weeks. He says he's playing every game as though it were his last, and it's no cliche. After limiting the league's best center, Dwight Howard, to 30.8 percent shooting Thursday, O'Neal posted consecutive point-rebound double-doubles for the only the second time since 2010.

"He's playing amazing ball," point guard Stephen Curry said. "He made a mission after the All-Star break to tell us that he was going to give us his all, and he's not just saying it. He's doing it. We needed that, and he's a big reason why we've got a streak going right now."

Said coach Mark Jackson: "They listened to him early on, but it's different when you're out there performing and out there getting it done. It's awfully tough for the 12th or 13th man - or a guy who's not on the floor doing it - to be a vocal leader. He spoke and they listened, but now it's a different voice. It's a voice with a body of work in a Warriors' uniform, and that matters."

Wednesday's game

Who: Warriors (35-22) at Bulls (30-26)

Where: Chicago

When: 5 p.m.

TV/Radio: CSNBA/680

Of note: The Warriors have lost 10 of their past 11 games in Chicago, but they beat the Bulls 102-87 on Feb. 6 at Oracle Arena. ... Power forward David Lee, who has missed the past two games with a stomach illness, flew to Chicago on Tuesday and is questionable for Wednesday's game. ... The Bulls had won five in a row before losing to Miami on Sunday. They won at Atlanta on Tuesday and sport the Eastern Conference's best record since Jan. 1. ... Joakim Noah had 13 assists Wednesday at Toronto, joining Nate Thurmond as the only Bulls centers to record that number in a game. Thurmond posted the franchise's lone quadruple-double, going for 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots in 1974. ... Chicago has sold out 149 consecutive games and has led the league in home attendance for four straight seasons.